Apple is reportedly working on an iOS update to allow iPhones to accept payment cards via NFC. Enough to pay anyone, anywhere.
The retail market has changed a lot compared to a few years ago. At the time, if you had a booth at a small local market or some kind of party, the only means of payment was cash, or perhaps checks. Today, in the era of fully digital and mobile payments, things are much easier. And it could be even more thanks to Apple and iOS.
Apple is reportedly working on an iOS update to allow iPhones to accept payment cards via NFC.
Thanks to companies like Square, which have developed portable credit card readers that plug directly into a smartphone, merchants can accept payment cards from their customers. But all this may soon be history. Indeed, according to a Bloomberg report, Apple is working on an iOS update that will allow the iPhone to accept payment cards without the need for any additional device.
What to pay anyone anywhere
As you may already know, it took the Cupertino company some time to integrate NFC into its iPhones, a technology long after Android devices. We’ve seen NFC used for Apple Pay before, and now this new report claims that an iOS update will allow the iPhone to accept payment cards by simply swiping the card across the back of the phone, as if you were using a contactless card reader.
This is not surprising, since in 2020 the Apple brand bought the startup Mobeewave, which was working on technology that allows smartphones to accept payments via NFC. In other words, Apple will finally be able to use its investment properly. In any case, this is good news for merchants who often find themselves at markets, fairs and other parties and want to offer their customers more options in terms of payment methods for their goods or services.
The Bloomberg report did not provide a date for when this iOS update will be available, but since WWDC is often held in the middle of the year, we may find out more then.